


The Only Way Out is Through

by Loki_Demon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Minor Character Death, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 08:46:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5369090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Demon/pseuds/Loki_Demon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern non-magical AU excerpts from Sirius and Regulus' relationship</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Only Way Out is Through

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Fall Fictacular on reddit /r/Slytherin

Sirius laced up his boots, grabbed his coat, and checked his phone on the way out the door. He had 16 missed calls from Regulus, 3 voicemails, a g-chat notification, and a series of text messages:

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASSHOLE._

_I got you a gift, but then you decided to ignore my calls._

_SO FUCK YOU._

_Say farewell._

The last message was attached to a picture of a Shoei motorcycle helmet. Sirius rolled his eyes but filed away the fact that there was a free helmet to be had if he could wheedle it out of his brother. Which would not be nearly as easy as it sounded, but might be worth it. He had had his eye on that helmet for a while now and since his ex threw his old helmet off a freeway, he could really use it.

He linked arms with James as they walked into the Starbucks and stage whispered, “You brought Lily with you?”

“Problem, Black?”

Sirius fixed her with an exasperated stare. “This is our place, Evans. It’s named after us. It’s Starbucks. Star,” he gestured to himself, “Bucks,” and to James, who told everyone and anyone that his spirit animal was a deer. “It’s us. Starbucks, Evans. Get it?”

“Yeah, I don’t think they named this place after your bromance.”

Sirius shook his head sadly. “You’re totally and completely wrong.”

“What can I get for you today, Sirius?” the girl behind the counter asked.

Sirius leaned forward on the counter and contemplated the menu for a minute before saying, “It’s my birthday. Can you make me something special for my birthday?”

“Sure can.”

Sirius pulled out his wallet and gestured to Lily and James. “And whatever these jokers are having.”

_____________________________

Sirius stole a keycard from one of the first year Slytherins to break into their dorms. He could have just told the woman at the front office that he was visiting his brother and she would have given him a card with temporary access to the dorm, but it was far more fun this way. Besides, they would have called down to Regulus to verify his identity, and then Sirius would have lost the element of surprise. Which meant that he wouldn’t have been able to walk into the scene before him now.

Regulus was humming in an eerily cheerful way as he carefully and precisely hit Sirius’ new helmet in various locations with a hammer. He was slowly turning into a psycho, Sirius was sure. Their parents were probably proud.

“So you’re trying to kill me now?”

Regulus shrugged and continued to hit the helmet, albeit less carefully now that he no longer needed to worry about leaving marks. “You didn’t call me back, Siri.”

“You’re insane. Insane. I bought you this pumpkin spice latte, you know? To apologize for missing your calls. But since you decided to be a complete ass…”

Regulus shouted and shot out of his chair as Sirius poured the latte all over him. It was piping hot—the way Regulus liked it.

______________________________

Regulus’ roommates had to rush him to the emergency room, apparently. He had sustained third degree burns on his arm and spent the rest of the week in bed, pouting. “I could have died!” he shouted when Sirius came to visit.

“Stop being so dramatic. No one dies from coffee burns.” Regulus stared at him incredulously. Sirius ignored him and tapped his head. “Remember, you were the one who was trying to kill me.”

“Don’t be dramatic. No one ever died from head injuries.”

“I suppose you would know. What with all your experience being brain damaged.” Regulus opened his mouth to reply, but Sirius held up his hand and said, “Anyway, I brought you a peace offering. Out of the goodness of my heart.”

He held out a latte. Regulus took it and eyed it warily. He held it up to his mouth as Sirius grinned eagerly at him. Then in one swift movement he took the lid off the cup and threw the latte directly into Sirius’ face.

Sirius merely laughed. He was becoming a right psycho, Regulus was sure of it.

“I knew you would be petty about this, Rex. That latte’s been sitting out for hours. It’s barely even lukewarm.”

Regulus looked horrified and offended. “You were going to let me drink cold coffee?”

Sirius shrugged. “You literally tried to kill me, bro. Do a better job next time or be prepared for the consequences.”

______________________________

Sirius rolled around absentmindedly on Lily and James’ bed when a slightly irritated and very pregnant Lily appeared in the doorway. “What in the world are you doing?”

Sirius stopped, raised his eyebrows, and looked up at her. “Your bed is comfy.”

“Right. Well. In case you forgot we have an Order meeting in about ten minutes.”

Sirius groaned and got out of bed. “Can I bring this bed with me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

When Lily nodded off in the middle of the meeting he and James both clapped loudly in her ears and she woke up with a start. “You guys are assholes, you know?” she muttered as they stifled giggles.

“But you love us,” James said and leaned in for a kiss.

Lily narrowed her eyes, but kissed him back. “Unfortunately.”

At the end of the meeting Emeline Vance came up to Sirius and said in a hushed, concerned voice, “I heard about your brother.”

Sirius shrugged. “He’s been a twat since forever. It’s genetic. He almost can’t help it.”

Emeline looked at him pityingly. “It can’t be easy. A brother like that.”

“He’s not my brother, ok? He’s just some idiot I grew up with. We haven’t even talked in years, yeah?”

________________________________________________________________________

When they settled into a booth at the practically empty Panera, Sirius leaned across the table and hissed at Regulus, “I heard they kicked you out of school for having a swastika tattoo!”

Regulus chewed his butternut squash ravioli and carefully swallowed before replying, “That is not true.”

“Oh so you don’t have a swastika tattoo? Because Emily said she saw—”

“No, I do. But the school didn’t kick me out for it. I’m not expelled. I’m suicidal.”

Sirius scoffed. “Like hell.”

“I am. I will be committing suicide in,” he checked his watch, “three days. The counselor at school was very concerned about my intentions. She put me on psychiatric leave.”

“Well, that’s awfully convenient for you, isn’t it, Reggie? Plenty of time to kick it with your new Death Eater friends without school to hold you back.”

Regulus shrugged. “Not really. Three days isn’t long at all.”

Sirius leaned back and glared at him. “Wish you’d kill yourself,” he muttered.

“I’m sure,” Regulus responded softly.

“You’re killing my friends.”

“Your friends are all alive. Don’t be such a drama queen. Are you going to eat that bread?” Sirius threw the bread in his face. “Thanks.”

Sirius hadn’t touched any of his food when Regulus got up to leave. He stared at Sirius intensely for a minute while Sirius continued to glare moodily at him. “Goodbye, Sirius,” he said. He hesitated before awkwardly putting a hand on Sirius’ shoulder. “Take care of yourself.”

Sirius pushed his hand off and glared. “Kill yourself.”

“I love you.”

Sirius looked up at that. He couldn’t remember the last time either of them had said anything of the sort to the other. Begrudgingly, he said, “Love you too,” but Regulus was already halfway to the door.

__________________________

Three days later, Regulus stood on an island in the middle of a lake, in front of a sealed box with a flash drive in it and a goblet of an alarmingly green substance. He sighed and checked his phone. He had 5 missed calls from Sirius, a voicemail that was nothing but silence, and two texts:

_Don’t be a complete moron and kill yourself. I swear, I’ll stand at your funeral and tell everyone what an idiot you are to throw your life away. It’s like you have a disease that makes you do stupid things._

_I hope you’re not dead. Answer your phone._

Regulus sighed and typed a message out to Sirius, but before he hit send he changed his mind. He dropped his phone in the lake. It was better for his family if he said nothing.

“The only way out is through,” he murmured, more to himself than to Kreacher, the only other person on the island with him. “Father always used to say that.” Sighing again, he picked up the goblet.


End file.
